An albatross can be a good thing

The most frequent use of the word “albatross” in ordinary conversation is in the metaphor of an albatross about someone’s neck, an allusion to The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. An albatross around your neck is a terrible burden that won’t go away.

So when I saw that Seth Godin had posted an article Building an albatross, I thought it would about how to avoid creating a high-maintenance business. But that’s not it at all. He’s created a new metaphor about these sea birds. They have a hard time taking off. They have to wait for just the right wind. But once they are airborne, they can fly for days or weeks without stopping. Seth compares his Squidoo venture to an albatross and gives tips for starting an albatross business.